International Victimology Institute Tilburg

INTERVICT promotes and executes interdisciplinary research that can contribute to a comprehensive, evidence-based body of knowledge on the empowerment and support of victims of crime and abuse of power.

Long-term PTSD-symptoms undermine coping self-efficacy

PRESS RELEASE 2 November 2017 - The higher the coping self-efficacy, the lower the posttraumatic distress (PTSD) in the first months after experiencing a shocking event. In the long-term, however, PTSD-symptoms start to undermine victims’ coping self-efficacy. This is one of the findings of new research by Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

If severe PTSD-symptoms persevere treatment is needed, as treatment has a positive effect on coping self-efficacy.

The study among the Dutch population about coping self-efficacy after
experiencing traumatic events used a large aselect sample of 8,000 respondents.
Victims who had experienced a traumatic event 1 to 2 years ago filled out 3
questionnaires focused on posttraumatic stress symptoms and coping
self-efficacy.

Findings

The results show that in the long-term, coping self-efficacy and PTSD
symptoms both influence each other, unlike in the first months after the
events. In that first phase, coping self-efficacy helps to protect against
PTSD-symptoms, while PTSD-symptoms do not yet affect coping self-efficacy. 1-2
years post-event, PTSD symptoms do adversely affect coping self-efficacy
however. This pattern is similar to that found in an earlier study focused on
social support. In that study social support initially helped to protect
against PTSD-symptoms, yet over time PTSD-symptoms started to erode social
support.

Adequate treatment

The results are important for care provided to victims. They show that
coping self-efficacy of victims is negatively affected by persistent
PTSD-symptoms which creates a downward spiral with increasing symptoms and
decreasing coping self-efficacy. This downward spiral can be broken by adequate
treatment.

The study has just been published in the renowned international
scientific journal Social Science & Medicine(1)
and was conducted by Dr. Mark Bosmans (ReflecT) and Prof. Peter van der Velden
(INTERVICT) of Tilburg University. The study has been made possible by Fonds
Slachtofferhulp.